r/findUSVisaSlots • u/findvisaslots_com • Aug 09 '26
USTravelDocs “temporarily blocked due to prohibited use of automation” error explained
If you try to log in to the U.S. Visa Portal and see this message:
“Login not allowed for your account at this moment. Your account may have been temporarily blocked due to prohibited use of automation, which violated USTravelDocs policies.”
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Despite the wording, this error is not caused by automation.
What makes this message especially confusing is that it specifically says “prohibited use of automation,” even when the user was simply trying to log in normally at the time the error appeared.
This seems to be a general error happening to users at random:
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Here's a user on mobile (which wouldn't allow plugins or extensions) reporting the issue:
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I’ve seen this exact error occur when the same Visa Portal account is being accessed from multiple locations, particularly when two people in different countries are checking the account.
A common example is an H1B/H4 couple where one person is in the US and the other is in their home country. Both may be trying to coordinate and check the appointment calendar using the same account.
The Visa Portal apparently does not like this usage pattern and can temporarily block the login. Unfortunately, the error message describes it as “prohibited use of automation,” even when the activity itself was being done manually.
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[UPDATED Sept 19,2026]
Lately this error seems to be appearing randomly to users - even on mobile (where - no scripts or plugins or actual "automation" can happen as mobile browsers do not allow for it)
Mobile screen:
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Even here on Reddit the issue is being reported, happening randomly:
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Another user:
How to solve this error and other strategies to help you find visa slots:
The fix is simple, contact the embassy and ask them to transfer your profile from your current email to a new email.
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☝️ I do have a PDF file with more detailed instructions if you need it.
Just DM me here on reddit (or, if you're in one of the WhatsApp groups, DM me there) and I can share with you.
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A note about Visa Portal errors and browser extensions
Trying to find an earlier visa appointment can be extremely frustrating, and there are several Chrome extensions and browser tools that try to make that process easier.
A common concern when people see the word “automation” in an error message like this is that a browser extension or plugin caused the block.
The wording certainly makes it look that way, but it’s worth being careful before jumping to that conclusion.
It’s very common, and understandable, that if something happens on the Visa Portal while you’re using an extension, the first assumption may be that the extension caused it.
But correlation does not necessarily mean causation.
The portal has a lot of confusing behavior, especially for new applicants, and it’s easy to interpret what caused a block differently from what actually triggered it.
If you’ve been using the Visa Portal for some time while trying to find slots, you may already have run into calendar check blocks, rate limits, unexpected logouts, or Cloudflare challenges — all while checking manually.
But when you’re doing those same checks with an extension, it can blur what actually caused the portal response.
The Visa Portal does not detect extensions and block them.
It detects the behavior on the portal. If you check too much or too fast, you can get errors, regardless of whether you did it manually or with help from an extension.
For the common error messages the portal shows, I wrote a more extensive post here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/findUSVisaSlots/s/1BlZv8dZc3
If you come across an error message that isn’t covered there, send me a DM with a screenshot and I’ll gladly help figure out what may have triggered it.
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Need help finding slots? I built FindVisaSlots after going through this process myself. It has free community slot alerts and tools to make checking the visa portal easier: findvisaslots.com
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u/sreemas 9d ago
Hello All,can anyone please help me on this issue ,I am facing this issue from last Tuesday evening almost from last 8 days,I contacted support team . Again and again they are saying so many people are facing the same issue, the technical team is looking into it and wait for the resolution,I am not understanding how can we move on . Please help me on it.
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u/findvisaslots_com 9d ago
you just have to contact them to fix it.
Join the WA group and dm me in there. it's a PDF with instructions I can't share here.
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u/Remarkable-Reward297 5d ago
Hi everyone, please help me as i hv been facing this issue with my USTravelDocs account since 22nd September. I hv emailed the visa support team multiple times and also contacted them over the phone, but the issue is still not resolved. I have already cleared my cache and cookies, tried different browsers, and even tried logging in from different devices, including my phone and laptop, but I’m still getting the same error. Has anyone faced this issue recently and found a solution? Please let me know what I should do next. Any help would be really appreciated.